In recent years, activists have demanded trains lower their speed because of the deaths of dozens of elephants. Official figures show that at least 42 elephants were killed in West Bengal alone since 2004.

Thursday's accident happened just 200 meters from where seven elephants were killed on September 22, 2010. Trains killing elephants has already become a national issue, which was mentioned in this year's railway budget, presented in parliament by former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

India is home to around 25,000 elephants. Their numbers have been dwindling recently because of poaching and the destruction of their habitats by humans.